Relations among Family Dysfunction, Loneliness and Life Satisfaction in Chinese Children: a Longitudinal Mediation Model

Although children's life satisfaction is known to be closely linked to family dysfunction, the nature and magnitude of longitudinal associations between family dysfunction and children's life satisfaction remain to be clarified. This 12-month longitudinal study examined the relations among family dysfunction, loneliness and life satisfaction in children using a longitudinal mediation model. A total of 926 children of ages 8 to 11 (423 males, M-age = 9.52 years) completed self-report questionnaires assessing family dysfunction, loneliness, and life satisfaction on three occasions at 6-month intervals. After sex, grade, parental education levels, and family economic status were included as covariates, the results showed that family dysfunction negatively predicted later life satisfaction. Moreover, loneliness at Time 2 completely mediated the relation between family dysfunction at Time 1 and life satisfaction at Time 3. However, life satisfaction did not predict subsequent loneliness and family dysfunction. The findings yield implications for interventions to promote children's life satisfaction.